Welcoming UNISON’s new Private Contractors National Forum

This conference welcomes new UNISON Rule D 4 which introduces a new Private Contractors National Forum. Conference recognises that some private sector employers discourage trade union membership, raise barriers to trade union organising, may not recognise our union, and place equality initiatives at a low priority. UNISON members who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual and […]

LGBT Financial Capability

Conference will note that there has long been a myth about the “pink pound”, which imagines lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people as living wildly hedonistic lifestyles and consuming luxury goods and services out of the reach of the rest of society. The reality is that LGBT people are far more likely to live […]

Isle of Man

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people on the Isle of Man are not protected from unfair treatment and discrimination in the workplace and in access to public and private service. There are no legal protections for LGBT people in the form of anti-discrimination laws relating to specifically to sexual orientation or gender and there […]

Oppose the TU Bill

This Energy conference believes that the Trade Union Bill represents the biggest assault on working people’s rights in living memory and represents an unashamed and deliberate attack on public sector trade unions in particular. The Bill affects almost every aspect of trade unionism in England, Wales and Scotland. It shifts the balance of power in […]

Developing Pension Capacity

Conference notes that defined benefit (DB) pension provision in the sector has been in decline. The closing of DB schemes and replacing them with defined contribution (DC) has in many cases been to the clear detriment of our members. Conference welcomes efforts already made to support pension developments within energy employers more actively and to […]

Funding for National Minimum Wage

On 8 July 2015, George Osborne stood up in Parliament at 12:30pm to deliver his Summer Budget speech. One of the announcements in that speech was: “I am today introducing a new National Living Wage. We’ve set it to reach £9 an hour by 2020. The new National Living Wage will be compulsory. Working people […]

Energy Policy in the UK

This conference believes that the Government has failed to address significant issues relating to the future of energy supply in the UK. Despite repeated warnings by a range of stakeholders including UNISON, the Conservative Government’s inability to strategically plan for a low carbon energy supply future leaves the country in a perilous position going forward. […]

Fracking

Conference notes: Hydraulic fracturing, commonly known as ‘Fracking’ is the process of drilling down into the earth before a high pressure water mixture is directed at the rock to release gas inside. Water, sand and chemicals are injected into the rock at high pressure which allows the gas to flow out at the head of […]

Rule D Functions and Authority

Rule D 2.1 After “national black members seats delete “and” and insert a comma, and after “ a young members seat” insert “ and two disabled members seats”. Insert new rule D 2.6: ” D 2.6 Disabled Members’ Seats There will be an additional two representatives, reserved for disabled members, one female, and one general, […]

Challenging Poverty

Within recent months UNISON has highlighted growing inequality and deepening poverty across the UK. At the same time, UNISON at the centre and across our regions has been pursuing a range of demands aimed at reducing poverty in the face of mounting evidence that current UK and devolved government strategies to tackle poverty have failed. […]

Austerity – How much worse will it get for Black members?

Since the disastrous election of a majority Tory Government in May 2015 the impact of public sector and welfare cuts has worsened for Black people. The Tories first budget has deepened austerity with more than 1.25 million Black households and 4 million Black people worse off under the range of budget measures that will continue […]

Mental health at work

Conference, Disabled members are concerned over how mental health is addressed in the work place, what is in place to help those with mental ill health while they are at work? Many of our members may already have a mental health condition or may have mental health conditions triggered by stress, stress can be from […]

Gateway to the Future: Stable and Sustainable Branch Resources

Conference welcomes the work of the Branch Resources Review and the National Executive Council report, Gateway to the Future: Stable and Sustainable Branch Resources. Conference agrees that the report and recommendations will secure the financial stability of the union, while giving immediate support to branches that are struggling to support members. Our branches are the […]

Defending Our Human Rights and Equality Protections

Conference condemns the Tory Government’s sustained attack on the rights of public service unions and workers – rights guaranteed under International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions. The undermining of the rights of trade unionists violates civil liberties and human rights including the freedom of association and assembly. Conference is therefore not surprised but is appalled that […]

The impact of state pension changes on workers in the Energy sector

Conference notes that from 6 April 2016 the Basic State Pension and Second State Pension (S2P) will end and be combined/ replaced by a new State Pension. The majority of members in the energy service group are currently paying reduced rate NI Contributions because they are in a work place pension scheme that is better […]